Edith attempted to leave her husband before due to serious physical abuse, but faltered.  After a vicious fight, he hurt her so badly that she ended up in the hospital.  Felony charges were filed against him and Edith ended the relationship.  Edith turned to IEJF-grantee LAF (formerly the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago) and found that “It was like a door opened, there was so much help. ”

LAF attorneys obtained and collected a substantial child support order which gave Edith the money she needed to establish a safe home for her children.  LAF lawyers obtained a divorce for Edith and ended the cycle of violence.

For over 40 years LAF has provided free professional legal services to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago.  LAF provides legal expertise in areas like domestic violence, mortgage foreclosure, subsidized housing, consumer fraud and public benefits.  LAF makes equal justice a reality, impacting the lives of over 40,000 vulnerable residents of Cook County annually. Click to learn more LAF, a grantee of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation since 2001.